Bolster suspension device



R. L. LICH Sept. 19, 1967 BOLSTER SUSPENSION DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 13, 1966 RH S m L W V% T W T Sept. 19, 1967 R. LICH BOLSTER SUSPENSION DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1966 Fl 6 *6 INVENTOR RICHARD L. LICH BY ATTORNEY Sept. 19, 1967 R; L. LICH BOLSTER SUSPENSION DEVICE '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 13, 1966 E mw. 2.

INVENTOR RICHARDLLICH BY W? ATTORNEE s United States Patent 3,342,140 BOLSTER SUSPENSION DEVICE Richard L. Lich, Pasadena Hills, Mo., assignor to General Steel Industries, Inc., Granite City, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 13, 1966, Ser. No. 549,974 12 Claims. (Cl. 105-197) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A railway vehicle truck comprising a pair of separate transversely spaced, longitudinally extending side frames and a transverse bolster resiliently mounted at its ends thereon for vertical and transverse movements with repect t0 the side frames. To provide a vertical suspension with a spring rate varying from low to high in proportion to the vertical load without a correspondingly high lateral rate, the bolster suspension on each side frame comprises upwardly facing transverse surfaces oppositely inclined lengthwise of the side frames, similarly inclined opposing surfaces on the bolster, elastomeric pads compressed between the opposing side frame and bolster surfaces, and upright coil springs seated on the side frames and engaging the underside of the bolster whereby the coil springs and rubber pads act in parallel with each other both vertically and laterally.

The invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists particularly in improved trucks for railway vehicles.

Conventional freight car trucks comprise longitudinally extending side frames supported on their ends on wheel and axle assemblies and connected intermediate their ends by a transversely extending body supporting bolster which is supported on the side frames by means of upstanding metal coil springs. For maintaining such trucks in tram, that is, squared in the horizontal plane, the sides of the bolster at their ends are in slidable engagement with transverse vertical surfaces of the side frames and the bolster is positioned transversely of the truck by the engagement of vertical gibs on both sides of the bolster with vertical surfaces on opposite sides of the side frame. Usually such trucks do not provide for lateral motion of the bolster. In some trucks however, the gibs are sufficiently widely spaced to permit limited lateral motion of the bolster through deflection in shear of the bolster supporting coil springs. Such springs are necessarily stiff, in order to maintain the car-coupler height within the prescribed limits of 34 /2 inches maximum and 32 /2 inches minimum. Thus the maximum static deflection of the springs cannot exceed two inches. With conventional coil springs with a constant high rate, riding qualities, particularly under light load conditions, are poor. Furthermore, if it is desired to provide for lateral motion of the bolster relative to the side frames through shear deflection in the coil springs, the corresponding high lateral rate of the coil springs provides excessive resistance to lateral movement of the bolster. When trucks of this type are new, the reasonably close fit between the bolster and the side frame guide surfaces keeps them in tram. As these parts wear as the result of continued sliding frictional engagement, the trammel of the trucks deteriorates correspondingly.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a truck having a bolster suspension with a sufficiently high vertical rate to maintain the car coupler height within prescribed limits, but with a suificiently low lateral rate to prevent lateral shocks applied to the wheels, axles and side frames from the truck from being transmitted in full to the bolster, the car body, and the lading.

Another object is to provide tramming and to fix the position of the bolster lengthwise of the side frames with- 3,342,140 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 out sliding frictional engagement between bolster and side frames.

A further object is to freely accommodate tilting of the side frames with respect to the bolster and each other about an axis transverse of the truck.

A further object is to provide a three axle truck of the separate side frame type in which the bolster suspension achieves the two previous objects and the suspension of the secondary side frames on the main side frames and each side of the truck accommodates vertical articulation between the side frames and each side while preventing substantial relative transverse movement between them and without requiring metal to metal contact at the point of connection.

The foregoing and additional more detailed objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by the constructions described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a four wheel truck embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the truck illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional vertical view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified. form of truck embodying my invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the truck illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a six wheel truck embodying my invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational View of the truck illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 99 of FIG. 7 showing the connection between the main and auxiliary side frames.

The truck illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 comprises pairs of flanged wheels 1 mounted on transversely-extending, longitudinally-spaced axles 3 and 5. Journal boxes 7, rotatably mounted on the ends of axles 3 and 5 outboard of wheels 1 are rigidly mounted in spaced pedestal jaws 9 on the ends of longitudinally extending side frames 11. Intermediate pedestal jaws 9 side frames 11 comprise box section beams preferably disposed at a level below that of the tops of the axles.

At its center, each side frame 11 is formed with a transversely extending gable structure comprising upwardly converging inclined surfaces 13, 13 which project transversely outwardly and inwardly of the side frame to form gable brackets 13a and 13b supported by transverse vertical gussets 15 on the inner and outer walls of the side frame 11. Forwardly and rearwardly of gables 13, 13 on each side frame are formed upwardly open cup-shaped spring seats 17, 17 and in the latter are seated upstanding coil springs 19. A transverse bolster 21 is formed at its end portion with caps 23 of inverted cup shape to receive and rest upon the upper ends of spring 19. It Will be noted at this point that spring seats 17 and caps 19 are flared transversely outwardly to accommodate such deflection of springs 19 in shear as may be required to accommodate transverse movement of the bolster on the side frames. In order that springs 19 may be soft enough vertically to have a sufiiciently low lateral rate to accommodate desired lateral movement of the bolster transversely of the truck, while at the same time avoiding excessive vertical deflection of the bolster, positioning the bolster transversely of the side frames, and maintaining the bolster in tram with the side: frames, flat sandwiches comprising flat pads 25 of rubber or other elastomeric material, interleaved with and bounded by metal plates 27, are secured to the upper surfaces of gables 13 inwardly and outwardly of the side frames, an the bolster end portions are formed intermediate spring seats 23 with downwardly open recesses 29, having inclined downwardly facing surfaces 31 secured to the upper surfaces of sandwiches 25, 27 With this arrangement pads 25 will be subjected to compressive stresses by forces tending to move the bolster longitudinally of the truck relative either to outboard brackets 13a or inboard brackets 13!) and their high compression rate combined with the long transverse arm formed by the lateral spacing of the brackets transversely of the side frame will provide a moment opposing tendencies of the bolster to move out of its normal right angle relation with each of the side frames. Likewise vertical loads on the bolster will be resisted by compression in the rubber pads 25. The high, but variable compression rate of the rubber pads supplements the low rate of coil springs 19, to keep the resultant vertical deflection of the spring system within the prescribed Z-inch coupler height limit. However, because of the low shear rate of the rubber pads, which are deflected in shear by movements of the bolster transverse of the side frames, the pads will add little resistance to the relatively low shear resistance offered by coil springs 19, so that the system will freely accommodate desired lateral movement of the bolster relative to the side frames. To provide equalization, shear in pads 25 lengthwise of the truck and parallel to inclined surfaces 13 permits the side frames to tilt relative to the bolster and to each other about an axis transverse of the truck.

For pivotally supporting a car body, bolster 21 is preferably provided at its center with an upwardly facing pivot central bearing 33 for mating engagement with corresponding structure (not shown) on a supported car body.

In the second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 46, the truck embodies similar wheels 1, axles 3 and 5, journal boxes 7, and pedestal jaws 9. Pedestal jaws 9 are connected to each other by longitudinally extending side frames 35, which, like side frames 11, are formed with upwardly facing spring seats spaced apart lengthwise of the side frame and disposed symmetrically with respect to the transverse centerline of the truck. Between spring seats 17, 17 the upper surface of each side frame is formed with a transversely disposed gable having converging inclined surfaces 37, 37, which, unlike the gable surfaces of the first embodiment, extend transversely only the width of the side frame 35. The transverse bolster 39 is formed at its end portions with spring caps 23 spaced apart lengthwise of the truck and received and supported on the tops of coil springs 19 seated in spring seats 17 on the side frames. Intermediate spring cap 23, 23 each end of the bolster is provided with a downwardly open recess having surfaces 41, 41 inclined lengthwise of the truck and resting on sandwiches 25, 27. This bolster suspension operates similarly to that of the first disclosed embodiment except that it does not provide the tramming furnished by the lateral spacing of the rubber pads in the first embodiment.

To maintain the side frames 25 and bolster 39 in tram, each side frame is provided at its center with a transversely inwardly extending arm 43, each of which bifurcated at its inner end, as at 45, to embrace a flange 47 depending from the central portion of the bolster, arm 43 thus constituting a long moment arm transversely of the truck opposing tendencies of the bolster and side frame to get out of right angle relationship with each other. In order to freely accommodate tilting of the side frames relative to the bolster, about a common transverse axis at the intersection of the normals of sandwiches 25, 27, as permitted by shear in pads 25, the common transverse center line of bifurcations 45 coincides with this transverse axis.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 is a six wheel truck comprising wheels 1, axles 51, 53 and 55, journal boxes 7 rotatably mounted on the ends of the axles laterally outboard of the wheels, and received within pedestal jaws 9. At one side of the truck pedestal jaws 9 associated with axles 51 and 53, and at the other side of the truck pedestal jaws 9 associated with axles 53 and 55 are connected respectively by longitudinally extending side frame beams 57 corresponding substantially to side frames 35 of the embodiment of FIGS. 46 except that side frames 57 are not formed with inwardly extending arms such as 43 of the second embodiment; that is, side frames 57 are provided with spaced upwardly open spring seats 17 and gable forming surfaces 37, and by means of these elements support upstanding coil springs 19 and elastomeric sandwiches 25, 27. Between spring seats 17 adjacent middle axle pedestal jaws 9, and middle axle pedestal jaws 9, each side frame 57 is formed with an inverted V or a gable top surface 59 disposed lengthwise of the side frame. This surface mounts a chevron-shaped or V shaped elastomeric sandwich 60 comprising pads of elastomeric material interleaved by V- shaped metal plates and bounded on their upper and lower surfaces by similar V shaped metal plates, the lower metal plates being secured to gable surface 59 of the side frame. On the first named side of the truck (the bottom side on FIG. 7), pedestal jaw 9 associated with axle 55, and on the opposite side of the truck, pedestal jaws 9 associated with axle 51 are formed with longitudinally extending auxiliary side frame members 61 the ends of which remote from the named pedestal jaws are bowed outwardly as at 63 to transversely clear middle axle pedestal jaws 9 of side frames 57, and are bent inwardly transversely of the truck at 65 to form a hook-like structure 67 overlying and supported on chevron-shaped elastomeric sandwiches 60. A projection 64 on the adjacent pedestal jaw 9 overlies hook 67 and prevents separation of the main and auxiliary side frames. It will be evident that chevron-shaped sandwiches 60 Will oppose substantial relative transverse movements of main side frames 57 and auxiliary side frames 61 while permitting such tipping of the side frames relative to each other lengthwise of the truck as may be required by vertical irregularities in the track and similarly permitting slight angling of the side frames with respect to each other in the horizontal plane to accommodate the truck to operation over short radius curves. Intermediate its ends each auxiliary side frame 61 is formed with gable-forming surfaces 37, spaced, upwardly-open spring seats disposed symmetrically lengthwise of the side frame with respect to gables 37. As in the second embodiment of the inventron, spring seats 17, and gable surfaces 37 respectively mount upstanding coil springs 19 and inclined fiat sandwiches 25, 27. A truck bolster of H-shaped in plan comprises transverse members 69 spaced apart lengthwise of the truck on opposite sides of middle axle 53 and formed with end portions similar to those of bolster 39 of the second embodiment, i.e., with spring caps 23 spaced apart lengthwise of the truck and adapted to receive and be supported on the upper ends of coil springs 19 carried by each of the side frames 57 and 61. Longitudinally in termediate each pair of spring caps 23, the end portions of bolster transverse members 69 are formed with a downwardly open recess having inclined walls 41 resting upon elastomeric sandwiches 25, 27. Bolster transverse members 69 are connected by a longitudinal member 71' at the center of the truck, which mounts, at its center, an upwardly facing central bearing 73 adapted for pivotal and load supporting engagement with a mating bearing on a car underframe, This truck is maintained in tram by the relationship of the rigid one piece H-shaped bolster 69, 71, 69 to the main and auxiliary side frames 57 and 61 through inclined elastomeric sandwiches 25, 27. In all other respects the bolster suspension operates in the same manner as in the second embodiment.

Details of the trucks and bolster suspensions disclosed herein may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway vehicle truck, separate longitudinally extending side frames spaced apart transversely of the truck, upwardly facing transverse surfaces of each said Side frame intermediate its ends being oppositely inclined lengthwise of the truck, upstanding coil springs seated on each said side frame, flat elastomeric pads carried by said surfaces, and a transverse bolster seated on said coil springs and having similarly inclined surfaces seated on said pads, said coil springs and said pads at each side acting in parallel to permit and yieldingly resist vertical movements of said bolster on said side frames by compression of said coil springs and compression and shear in said pads and to permit transverse movement of the bolster resisted solely by the resistance of said pads and coil springs to shear.

2. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 1, said inclined surfaces on each side frame and said bolster including portions spaced apart a substantially greater distance transversely of the truck then the Width of said side frames, said pads being similarly disposed transversely of the truck.

3. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 1, said inclined surfaces being located substantially at the center of said side frames, said coil springs being spaced apart lengthwise of the truck by said inclined surfaces and pads.

4. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 1, transversely extending arms extending inwardly from said side frames, structure depending from said bolster and being in embracing relation with both said arms in a region aligned transversely of the truck with the intersections of the normals of said pads on both side frames.

5. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 1 auxiliary side frames aligned longitudinally with said side frames, means supporting an end of said auxiliary side frames from said side frames intermediate the ends of said side frames, upwardly facing transverse surface of each said auxiliary side frames intermediate its end being oppositely inclined lengthwise of the truck, upstanding coil springs on each said auxiliary side frame, flat elastomeric pads seated on said auxiliary side frame surfaces, said bolster having portions seated on said last-named coil springs and having additional similarly inclined surfaces seated on said last-named pads.

6. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 5, three wheel-mounting axles spaced apart lengthwise of the truck, each of said side frames being supported at its ends on the middle axle and an end axle each of said auxiliary side frames being supported, at its end remote from that supported on a side frame, on an end axle.

7. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 6, said side frames and auxiliary side frames being at substantially the same height, said auxiliary side frames being bowed transversely outwardly adjacent the end of the side frames from which they are supported and extending parallel to said side frame to the region of their support thereon and there extending upwardly and transversely inwardly to provide an end overlying said side frame.

8. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 5, said supporting means comprising pairs of vertically opposing surfaces on said side frame and said auxiliary side frame oppositely inclined transversely of the side frames and flat elastomeric pads compressed between said surfaces.

9. In a railway vehicle truck according to claim 8, said side frame and auxiliary side frame transversely inclined surfaces converging to form V-shaped configuration, said pads being correspondingly V-shaped in transverse crosssection.

10. A vehicle suspension device comprising a supporting member having a pair of generally upwardly facing transverse surfaces inclined along the normal direction of movement of the vehicle, upright metal coil springs seated on said supporting member adjacent said transverse surfaces, a supported member seated on said springs and having generally downwardly facing similarly inclined transverse surfaces spaced vertically from said supporting member inclined surfaces, and flat elastomeric pads compressed between said supporting and supported member inclined surfaces, said coil springs and said pads at each side acting in parallel to permit and yieldingly resist vertical movements of said supported member on said supporting member by compression of said coil springs and compression and shear in said pads and to permit transverse movement of the supported member relative to said supporting member resisted solely by resistance of said pads and coil springs to shear.

11. A vehicle suspension device according to claim 10, wherein said supporting member is elongated along the direction of movement of the vehicle and said coil spring means comprises separate coil springs positioned foreand-aft of said inclined surfaces.

12. A vehicle suspension device according to claim 11, wherein said inclined surfaces and said pads have portions spaced apart more widely than the general width of said supporting member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,178,098 4/1916 Pilcher 196 2,211,462 8/ 1940 Hobson 1O5197 2,321,845 6/ 1943 Nystrom et al. 105--197 2,609,757 9/1952 Blomberg 105-197 X 3,181,479 5/1965 Rurnsey et a1. 105197 X ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RAILWAY VEHICLE TRUCK, SEPARATE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE FRAMES SPACED APART TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRUCK, UPWARDLY FACING TRANSVERSE SURFACES OF EACH SAID SIDE FRAMES INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS BEING OPPOSITELY INCLINED LENGTHWISE OF THE TRUCK, UPSTANDING COIL SPRINGS SEATED ON EACH SAID SIDE FRAME, FLAT ELASTOMERIC PADS CARRIED BY SAID SURFACES, AND A TRANSVERSE BOLSTER SEATED ON SAID COIL SPRINGS AND HAVING SIMILARLY INCLINED SURFACES SEATED ON SAID PADS, SAID COIL SPRINGS AND SAID PADS AT EACH SIDE ACTING IN PARALLEL TO PERMIT AND YIELDINGLY RESIST VERTICAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID BOLSTER ON SAID SIDE FRAMES BY COMPRESSION OF SAID COIL SPRINGS AND COMPRESSION AND SHEAR IN SAID PADS AND TO PERMIT TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF THE BOLSTER RESISTED SOLELY BY THE RESISTANCE OF SAID PADS AND COIL SPRINGS TO SHEAR. 